Complaints about shipbuilder run deep

Tuesday

Jul 23, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Allanton residents have to put up with extreme noise and air pollution, unbearable traffic problems and the pollution of East Bay.

In reading the article in the July 18 News Herald (“Record fine issued for violations”), I guess that everyone should overlook all the pollution violations by Eastern Shipbuilding, et al. After all Mr. Brian D’Isernia employs 1,600 people with an annual payroll of $62.4 million, has delivered more than 320 vessels, has 24 under contract at a price of more than $1 billion, and has gotten approximately $1 million in tax incentives from the taxpayers of Bay County. Because he has given more than $500,000 to local charities, we are not to criticize the fact that he has been given the largest criminal fine ever assessed in Florida for wetland violations.

We should also overlook the fact the felonious criminal wetland violations directly affect the people of the community of Allanton. Allanton residents have to put up with extreme noise and air pollution, unbearable traffic problems (approximately 2,500 vehicles, including semi-tractor trailers with very wide loads that have to make a 90-degree turn to go to the shipyard) and the pollution of East Bay, which at one time was one of the most pristine bays in Florida.

Additionally, all the shipyard traffic has made County 2297 like a washboard. And the shipyard and all its various kinds of pollution have devalued the property in Allanton.

To make matters worse for the people of Allanton, Eastern Shipbuilding applied for and got permission from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to increase the amount of some air pollutants fourfold. Most of the residents of Allanton have lived here before Eastern Shipbuilding was established and are older people with many physical problems, including COPD, which is exacerbated by the pollution.

Obviously, Mr. D’Isernia doesn’t feel the need to go through the proper channels to get permits. He uses the excuse that he will miss the opportunity to keep China from getting the business, so he just goes ahead and violates the law. If ordinary citizens do that they get put in jail.

CAL BRINCEFIELD Panama City

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